The Masque of the Red Death (1964) is based upon a short story by Edgar Allan Poe from 1842. The movie was directed by Roger Corman and stars one of my favourite actors, Vincent Price. I am vaguely aware that I might have watched this movie before now but it must be a long time ago as I dont recall much of the film. Regardless, it has Vincent Price in it so it was an easy choice to watch again.
The movie is about a sadistic prince called Prince Prospero. Prince Prospero delights in the pain of others, particularly his subjects. He treats his noble friends slightly better, but delights in making them do his bidding, humiliating them. Prince Prospero has sold his soul to the devil, and as a result he appears to believe that no harm will befall him.
The film begins with the Prince visiting one of the local villages to collect the crops that he is entitled to. The villagers are starving and two of them tell Prince Prospero exactly what they think of him. The two men are spared by the actions of a young woman and the discovery that the red death is within the village. The two men, and the young lady, are taken captive and brought to the castle of Prince Prospero, a refuge from the red death. This is when the movie really starts to get interesting.
As you might imagine Vincent Price gives a great performance and the rest of the cast are good also. The sets for the movie are also very good. The plot is straightforward but never boring. If you are a fan of Edgar Allan Poe and the acting talents of Vincent Price then you should definitely check this movie out. Unfortunately I have not read the Edgar Allan Poe story so I am unable to tell you how faithful the mobie is to the story. Regardless, I would recommend watching this movie .
7 out of 10